Hey everyone! I hope you guys like this chapter, even though it took a while for me to get it up! Please review! Until next time, ^_^.
Momiji stayed away from the theater for a couple of days, hoping she would soon succumb to her urge to go onto the stage once again and face her fear. Every time she passed it, she'd casually shift her eyes to the window to see if she could catch a glimpse of someone on stage, acting or singing. She envied their ability to face the sea of people and pour their heart, knowing the great risk of humiliation. She wished she could be like that, to have that much of a threshold of confidence.
She placed her palm against the cool, glass window. It felt so cold beneath her fingers. It was almost as if she was touching a part of herself, since all she felt was coldness. Although whenever she was around Kusanagi, she felt a sense of warmth that always calmed her, she wanted to feel warm inside. To be content with herself. She need self-fulfillment before she could achieve anything.
As she stood in a daze, a hand touched her shoulder, gently squeezing the area around her collar bone. She closed her eyes, breathing in the gentle smell of fresh Ivory soap and some cologne she couldn't put a name to. She knew right then who it was. "Kusanagi." Her voice didn't raise over the bustling wind that blew past them.
"I've been looking all over for you," he said, breathing heavily, showing that he had been in a hurry to get to her. "I thought you ran away, never to return."
She slightly smiled. "That thought had crossed my mind," she said. "But I didn't get very far, as you can see."
"I see very well." He stepped beside her and followed her gaze to the window. "Why aren't you up there? On the stage, I mean?"
She looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "Come on, Kusanagi, you know about my fear." She turned back to the window. She could see the doors inside of the building opening to the grand auditorium, where rows of seats occupied the floor. Slightly straining her eyes, she could see a girl standing on the stage in a white dress. Although she knew the doors to her dream were open, she felt as if she was left on the outside, knocking as hard as she could, waiting for a reply that may never come. "I can't go home on that stage until I feel that I'm able to."
He shook his head. "You can't use that excuse for everything," he said. "And you can't let fears run your life, Momiji. If you do that, you'll live in fear for the rest of your life."
"But you don't understand, Kusanagi. I just can't wake up one morning and tell myself that I'm going to through my fears out the window," she said, turning to him. "It's harder than that."
He grinned, pulling her closer to him. "Yeah, that's why I'm going to help you."
She looked at him dumbfounded. "What?" she asked. "How are you going to help me?"
He started to open his mouth to answer her, but he stopped when his phone started to ring to the tune of the theme of his television serious. He rolled his eyes, reaching into his pocket, and pulling out his cell phone. He put it up to his ear and said, "Hello? This is Mamoru Kusanagi."
Momiji backed away and leaned her back against the window. The cool air whipped her cheeks like freezing slaps from a ghost or dead soul. Ghosts were once people who lived amongst the living, but they died. They didn't go to heaven or hell, because they have unfinished business, or at least that's what Momiji was told when she asked her grandmother. She can't herself become a lonely ghost traipsing about just because she couldn't do the simple task of accomplishing her dreams. That would be foolish of her. Stop being a fool, Momiji. Pick yourself and wipe your fears off your shoulders. You can do it, I know you can!
Momiji's train of thought was broken when Kusanagi squealed loudly. She quickly shot a look to him. His cheeks were bright red and a grin stretching across his face. He looked so happy and excited. She wondered why she couldn't get him to act like that while he's around her.
"Really?" Kusanagi chimed, listening contently to his phone. "She wants to do it? That is so cool!"
She continued to stare at him in confusion. She wanted to ask him who he was talking to, but she didn't want him to think she's the type to invade someone else's privacy. So she stood there, with her imagination popping wild ideas into her head.
"Okay, sounds great. Yeah, I know," he continued. "Around 5? All right I'll see you then. Bye."
Kusanagi turned off his phone and looked at Momiji. A grin sliced his face and his eyes twinkled like bright stars in the sky. He looked as if he had just found out that he won a million dollars. She was so eager to know why he was so happy, bur something was restraining her from doing so.
"Guess what?" Kusanagi finally asked, and swooped her up in his arms before she could even answer. "Director Sugishita Shunishi just called to offer me the leading male role in his play! Isn't that great?"
She smiled and wrapped her arms around him tightly. "I'm so happy for you, Kusanagi!" She really was, even though she wanted to be in the play, too. "But how'd he know to call you?" She stepped back, keeping a smile on her face. "I mean, why wouldn't he pick someone else?"
He tried not to take that as an insult and replied, "Some actress requested for me to be the leading role. I think her name is , Sakura Yamazaki."
Momiji bit her tongue to keep herself from saying something she'll regret. Does this mean that Sakura has the female lead? If it does…will Kusanagi like Sakura? I can't let that happen. She may of already taken my part, but I won't let her take my guy. No way!
She pinned Kusanagi against the brick wall that surrounded the glass windows. He gave her a long look, wondering what had gotten into her.
"You can't go!" she exclaimed.
He lifted his brow. "What do you mean, 'I can't go?'" he asked. "It's not as if I'm going to be gone forever."
"But you don't understand!" she snapped. She couldn't help herself from being so hostile towards him. Her body was filled with so much angst and anger that she wanted to get rid of on the first person she saw, who is, sorry to say, Kusanagi. "Sakura must have it out for you! She probably took my part already, I don't want her to take you, too!"
Kusanagi smirked and placed his hands on her shoulders. She released him as she went off her tip-toes. "You really are a worry wart, Momiji," he said with a laugh.
She gave him a sad look. He didn't take her seriously. She knows that the moment he sees Sakura he'll fall for her and plus, they'll be romantic interests in the play. And that is something she can't handle.
"Momiji, you don't have to worry about Sakura. I'm with you, not her," he said, and stepped backward. "And anyway, she didn't get the part yet. Sugishita is willing to give you a second shot at your audition--"
Momiji looked up, not believing what she just heard. "D--Did you just say what I think you did? That I can retry auditioning?"
He nodded. "Yeah. Would I actually agree to be in the play if he wasn't offering a second try at it?"
She immediately hugged him, surprising him. She was so shocked and happy all at the same time. It was the first time anyone has ever done something like this for her. And it was extra special to her since it was Kusanagi. Maybe it will be all right after all. I was worrying over nothing, as usual…But what about my stage fright? Kusanagi was supposed to help me get over it. I guess I can wait until he has a free moment.
Suddenly, the door to the theater swung open. They both turned to see Sakura, with a vicious grin and her hands on her hips. "Hey guys!"
Momiji forced a smile on her blank face. "Oh, hi, Sakura." No matter how much she tried to hide it, she wasn't thrilled to see her.
Right then and there, Kusanagi became a puddle of drool, just as Momiji expected. She tried not to get mad, because she knew that she will do whatever she can to get the lead role…no matter what.
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Sakura glared at Momiji. Just wait, Momiji. I'll have the lead role and Kusanagi. It all starts…
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Tomorrow…
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To Be Continued…
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